Nick Groves has developed into a legitimate MLB draft prospect over the last four years.
The Ontario native took a gap year after high school to refine his baseball skills, enhance his athleticism and build strength. He became a key contributor at Niagara for two seasons, and then he elevated his stock with a strong showing in the Cape Cod League last summer. This spring, he continued to produce at Illinois, proving himself against Big Ten competition.
Now, after showing he can handle high-level pitching and contribute consistently, Groves is projected as a potential top-seven-round pick in July’s MLB draft.
“It really hasn’t set in,” Groves said. “Playing professional baseball has always been the goal. I always looked up to many guys and hoped that my dream could come true someday. It’s pretty surreal and something I’ve worked for. I want to make my loved ones and myself proud. It would be an honor to play professional baseball, continue developing and have a chance to be a big leaguer. I’m excited to see what happens.”
Groves is a 5-foot-11, 180-pound outfielder known for his top-of-the-order presence and ability to set the tone offensively. The left-handed hitter features a quick, compact swing and an advanced, contact-driven approach with strong plate discipline. He sprays the ball to all fields, gets on base consistently and uses his speed to create pressure and make things happen on the bases.
“I see myself as a spark plug,” Groves said. “I try to work pitchers and be a pest in the box. I also try to speed the game up. As someone who might be a little undersized, I try to do everything right and not take any pitches off. That is something I take a lot of pride in is being present for every pitch.”
Power hasn’t been a key part of Groves’ game, as he’s hit just three home runs over three seasons between Niagara and Illinois. It’s an area he hopes to develop further with continued work and physical growth.
“I have been focusing on getting my ‘A’ swing off in the 2-0, 3-1 counts,” Groves said. “I also want to get my pitch. I’ve always had that good plate discipline, so I now want to use it to do some damage.”
Groves was a middle infielder growing up but didn’t begin playing the outfield until he reached college. Believing a move to the outfield would maximize his athleticism and expand his versatility, he embraced the transition. Since then, he’s spent most of his collegiate career in the outfield, where he’s shown solid gap-to-gap range, good route-running instincts and average arm strength.
“I was always undersized but athletic, so I thought the versatility would help me,” he said.
After receiving interest from just two college programs as a prep player in Canada, Groves developed into one of college baseball’s top performers.
Over three seasons, he hit .330 with 38 extra-base hits and 55 stolen bases in 136 games. He also impressed in the Cape Cod League last summer, batting .364 in 24 games against top-tier pitching. His steady rise has positioned him well for a bright future.
“Initially, it was tough, but it has been a great experience,” Groves said. “It’s been awesome to see the development I have made.”
Read more in-depth stories on top 2025 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for 10 years. He has interviewed 580 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
